Generally, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) solid-state imaging device has been used for a solid-state imaging device included in an imaging apparatus such as a video camera and a digital still camera. In the CCD solid-state imaging device, signal charges generated using incident light in photodiodes are read to a vertical CCD, and the read signal charges are transferred to a charge detecting unit (FD unit) by the vertical CCD and a horizontal CCD.
When it is attempted that power consumption is reduced in such a CCD solid-state imaging device by lowering reading voltages from the photodiodes to the vertical CCD, a problem as shown in FIG. 21 occurs. To put it differently, when a reading voltage φV1 to be applied to a transfer electrode (reading electrode) 523C is lower, a variation in electric potential (GND≧variation in positive direction) of a channel stop 528 is significantly influenced and a portion of a signal charge accumulated in a photodiode 524 is not read into a vertical CCD 525, which causes a reading residue of the signal charge. Patent Reference 1 discloses a method of driving a solid-state imaging device as a technique for solving such a problem.
In the method, when the reading voltage φV1 is applied to the transfer electrode 523C, a reverse-modulated pulse that is transited to a reverse polarity with respect to the reading voltage φV1 is applied to a transfer electrode adjacent to the transfer electrode 523C. With this, since the influence on the variation in electric potential of the channel stop 528 below the transfer electrode 523C can be suppressed as shown in FIG. 22, the reading residue of the signal charge of the photodiode 524 can be prevented from occurring.    Patent Reference 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-322143